


Where Angels Sing

by Skybloodfox



Category: Borderlands (Video Games), Tales from the Borderlands - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angel is a sweet girl, Canon-Typical Violence, Good Dad Jack, Good Parent Handsome Jack (Borderlands), I have an outline written, Jack is a little over protective, M/M, Rhys as Jack's PA, Slow Burn, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-19
Updated: 2017-06-26
Packaged: 2018-11-02 11:38:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10943736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skybloodfox/pseuds/Skybloodfox
Summary: So you want to hear a story, eh? Then gather around and listen to the story of how a humble man changes the fate of the universe with a single act of kindness.orWhile cleaning the loading bay, Rhys stumbles upon Angel and everything changes.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I have an outline! This is more of a sweet fic. I'll add tags as the story progresses. If you like it, leave a comment or review.

“Henderson is dead.”

“What?” 

“I’m now vice assistant janitor.”

“What?”

Rhys bowed his head, pinching the brow of his nose. “I said Henderson is dead and Vasquez has made me executive vice janitor.”

Yvette and Vaughn stopped dead in their tracks as Rhys walked on. They exchanged a worried glance before quickly catching up to him. Vaughn grabbed his elbow, stopping him mid step. “Bro, what the hell? Why didn’t you fight back? Why didn’t—”

“Because he threatened to expose the eridium deal I set up!” Vaughn hissed. 

Vaughn swallowed and Yvette scowled. “How? How did he know that?” She whispered.

Rhys threw his arms up in the arm. “I don’t know! I wish I knew because someone has to answer for it, but for right now if I want to stay on Helios, I have to clean up other people’s messes.” 

“Bro…” Vaughn’s voice was soft and Rhys barked out a laugh, shaking his head. 

“I swear, I don’t know how, I don’t know when, but I will have my revenge.” Rhys snapped.

Yvette patted his back and Rhys groaned, stopping in the middle of the hallway, and bowed his head. 

“Well, if anything, I’ve heard the guys in janitorial have some of the best dental and health insurance packages in the company.” Yvette comforted.

Rhys groaned.

“I don’t think that’s helping,” Vaughn sighed, crossing his arms. “So when do you start?”

Before Rhys could answer, Vasquez’s smug voice rang through the speakers in the ceiling: “Executive vice janitor Rhys to the men’s bathroom.”

Rhys’s shoulders sunk. 

“Don’t worry; I’ll get us good and drunk tonight.” Yvette soothed and Rhys shot her a surprised look. Yvette paying for drinks? She smiled sympathetically. “Anyway, text when your off. Good luck, Rhys.”

“Thanks, Yvette.” Rhys tried to smile but couldn’t. Vaughn crossed his arms, peering up at the tall man. 

“Bro, we’ll figure a way out of this. I promise.”

“Just don’t do anything that’ll threaten your place in accounting, okay? I’m going to go… I guess find janitorial.” Rhys turned away, slinking down the hallway, his hands shoved in his pockets. All his dreams, his fantasies, his illusions, gone in a wisp of smoke. He stepped into an elevator and paused. He brought up the ECHOnet and checked where exactly janitorial services were on Helios. Rhys thumbed the button of the elevator and leaned against the wall as the doors closed. His eyes trailed up to see the latest picture of Handsome Jack grinning wickedly and holding the newest Hyperion weapon.

Rhys shut his eyes.

He would never, ever, ever, be as good as Handsome Jack now, let alone meet the man in person. A strange fist curled in his gut and he shook his head, ignoring it as the doors opened and he was met with a long corridor.

His new life began now.

~~

After a month of mopping floors, cleaning windows, bagging garbage, and cleaning up when finger guns got to too violent and a potted plant fell over, Rhys discovered something truly amazing: he was invisible.

Nobody paid him any attention; he was like a statue, or a fountain, or part of the scenery. He was invisible to the people who walked past him in too expensive business attire preening and cooing over the latest fashion. He was invisible to the scientists in research and development who’d call him in to clean up a failed Clap-Trap unit. Even when he went into accounting to vacuum the floors he was ignored (except by Vaughn who stayed after work and helped him when he could). 

Heck, even Vasquez had walked past him two or three times without realizing it was Rhys mopping the floor. It had irked him at first but then he marvelled at how people would just talk about their work, about their worries, their dreams and desires, their latest lays and questionable job practices that Rhys was fairly certain bordered on company treason and espionage. At least that was what he’d told Yvette and Vaughn Friday night while they tossed back tequila shots.

“Dude, you are going to have so much blackmail!” Vaughn laughed, slapping his back.

“That could be very useful, make recordings!” Yvette winked.

Rhys rolled his eyes, feeling somewhat warm and smug. He didn’t want to admit it, but his pay check wasn’t all that bad either. Really, it’d increased a little bit but not by much. And the other janitors were probably the friendliest group on the station. Supportive and encouraging. They’d welcomed Rhys into their world with a kind smile and a silent understanding that Rhys wasn’t the first to be ‘promoted’ into his position.

Rhys wasn’t happy, but he could still afford his part of the rent, and the occasional beer night, but Rhys had to figure out some way to get back on track. He just needed an opportunity.

His Echo chimed and Rhys put down his shot glass, holding his palm up as a text message blipped that he was needed for a clean-up in the loading bay. Rhys groaned and signalled that he’d received it before closing it. He stood up from the table, maybe a little unsteady, and smiled at Vaughn and Yvette who both whined as he started to move.

“I gotta go, work, drink! Party.” Rhys gave a metallic thumbs up and faded into the crowd and away from his friends who cheered him on. He headed for the service elevator to get his things, his mind warm and fuzzy. When he got the janitorial level, he got changed into his coveralls, grey with a bright yellow on the back, and made his way to the elevator. Everything he’d need was on the levels themselves so all he had to do was assess the damage and well… Rhys cracked his jaw, yawning as he headed for the loading bay, waving to the two soldiers in security as he passed them.

He cleared his throat, rubbing his eyes as he entered and found two planters turned over and three loader bots fretting over a fallen one. Rhys shoved his hands in his pockets and approached the small group.

“So what happened?” Rhys asked.

“He fell.” One of the loader bots pointed at the one just lying there.

“Okay.” Rhys cleared his throat and wished he had a bottle of water. Damn that tequila. “Loader bot, are you injured?”

“No.” The loader bot on the floor said. its voice crackling.

“Then why aren’t you standing up?” Rhys frowned.

“I am questioning the state of my very existence. What is the meaning of life? Why are we here? What is the purpose of existence? Am I really me?” The loader bot continued, its red eye staring upward at the ceiling.

“Janitor Rhys, he’s making me feel uncomfortable.” Another loader bot quietly said.

This happened more then Rhys liked to admit, and he genuinely felt bad for them, but if all the loader bots started questioning their existence, then well, it’d be like a bad dystopian nightmare. So he remembered the training the other janitors had imparted on him: get the bots to the repair room, mention Handsome Jack if need be, lie as much as needed.

“Right, okay.” Rhys squatted next to the robot. “Loader bot, all of your questions can be answered in the repair room.”

There was a silence before the red eye focused on Rhys. “But all who go there never return.”

Ah shit.

“Of course they do, buddy.” Rhys patted the Loader bots chest. “It’s just that they get sent on a special mission because Handsome Jack trusts them and them alone. Not many are chosen, and it’s a heavy burden.”

“…okay. I shall report to repair bay.” The loader bot stood up while the others cheered him on for being chosen for Handsome Jack’s mission. 

Rhys ran his hand through his hair and walked to the empty space of wall, pressing his hand against the cool metal and a door slid open, revealing the dust pan and broom he’d need to sweep up the planters. He eyed the two shrubs and sighed. They’d need to get a new one, but the other looked okay.

“That was really nice.” A soft, feminine, voice spoke from behind him.

Rhys froze.

Slowly he turned on his heel, holding the broom in one hand and the dust pan in the other. He blinked at the petite figure standing a few feet behind him. The figure wore black leggings, and Hyperion brand flats, a retro yellow Hyperion hoodie five sizes too big for the petite frame. Slowly, small fingers peeking from the wrists of the jacket pushed the hoodie up and off and a pale girl with a shy smile, black hair shaved on the side of her head, and blue eyes peered up at Rhys.

“It scares them when they start realizing stuff like that, so thank you for being kind to them.” The girl said.

“Who,” Rhys stumbled over the word, not quite clicking things together. Had he drunk so much tequila that he was hallucinating? “Who are, are you?” He cleared his throat, focusing on the girl before him.

The girl fidgeted, taking a step toward Rhys and eyeing him critically. Rhys swallowed, hard.

“I’m… I’m Angel.” She said hesitantly.

“Wh-what are you doing here?” Rhys blinked slowly. “Do your parents work in the department? You shouldn’t be here, how did you even get security clearance into the docking bay?”

Angle shifted and bit her bottom lip, glancing past Rhys before she shot him another shy smile. “I, um, I used my Dad’s clearance.”

“Your dad? Who’s he?” 

“What’s your name?” Angel suddenly blurted out.

“Me? I’m Rhys.” Rhys blinked.

“Well, it was very nice to meet you Rhys. I’ll make sure my Dad knows you were kind to the loader bots.” Angel shot Rhys a smile before she brought her hands to her chest and in a flash of light she was gone.

Rhys stared dumbly at the spot Angel had just been, slowly blinking the white spots that danced in his vision away. Had he hallucinated the girl? Was she the ghost of Helios? Quickly he dropped the broom and brought up the ECHOnet, checking to see whose security clearance was last used in the loading bay. 

Handsome Jack.

The world suddenly seem to spin and Rhys stumbled into the small supply closet, and pressed his back against it before he grabbed a garbage bag and vomited up every single droplet of tequila he’d consumed not long before.

 

To Be Continued…


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everybody for your wonderful comments and reviews!!!! They really mean a lot so thank you!!! :D I hope this next chapter is okay!

“You met the Angel of Helios?” Vaughn gasped, his eyes wide.

 

“No, I-I don’t think so, maybe? She looked real.” Rhys rubbed his eyes. His head was throbbing, aching, and the tequila left his mouth tasting god awful.

 

“I can’t believe it.” Vaughn slumped in the couch, still wearing his sweatpants and sleep shirt. He pulled off his glasses for the hundredth time and cleaned the lenses with the hem of his shirt. “I thought she was just a legend, something the guys in research cooked up while doing lines of eridium.”

 

“She was real; she wore an old Hyperion hoodie that had to be around twenty-years old, like real vintage.”

 

“And she… she used Handsome Jack’s card to get in there?” Vaughn’s voice was a whisper.

 

“That was the last login registered.” Rhys stared at the untouched box of pizza he’d ordered when he finally stumbled home. He left out the fact that Angel had said it was her Dad’s clearance that’d gotten her in there in the first place.

 

“Wow… bro, nobody is going to believe you saw her. You saw the Angel!” Vaughn grinned.

 

A banging at the door made them both jump.

 

“Security!” A sharp voice barked and Rhys and Vaughn both paled, exchanging quick glances with each other. Before they could even respond the door was kicked open and ten security guards swarmed into the tiny apartment, shouting at Rhys and Vaughn to raise their hands above their heads.

 

They grabbed Rhys and dragged him out of the room. Rhys shot Vaughn a look as a rather stern security official blocked the view and started asking questions about just how long Vaughn had known Rhys. Once outside the apartment, he was surrounded by another group of security guards, and two heavily armed loader bots.

 

Rhys squawked, long limbs flailing as he was partially dragged away. “What’s going on? Who are you? Someone tell me!” He shouted.

 

“Handsome Jack wants to meet you.” A security guard said.

 

“He does?” Rhys squeaked, twisting in the grip before he managed to get to his knees. “Why?”

 

“Probably to send you to your death.” Another guard muttered and Rhys blanched as a group they were taken to the elevators.

 

Rhys didn’t say another word.

 

The ride in the elevator was quiet and Rhys realized with a start they were taken to the top floor, and he was being escorted to Jack’s office. He paled, trying not to hyperventilate as the massive doors opened and the guards stood there uncertain. Handsome Jack was standing before his desk, his hands behind his back, looking at the moon Elpis.

 

“Sir, we have vice assistant janitor Rhys.” One of the soldiers said.

 

“Leave him and get out.” Handsome Jack ordered and Rhys couldn’t stop the shiver that raced through his body at the voice.

 

“Gladly,” a soldier next to him muttered and then Rhys was shoved onto the floor and the guards, and loader bots, quickly fled, the door slamming shut behind him.

 

Swallowing nervously, Rhys slowly stood, his knees shaking. “S-Sir, Hand-Handsome Jack, S-Sir, I, ah, I’m,” he stuttered.

 

Handsome Jack spun on his heel, his shoes clicking on the smooth black surface of the office as he stood at the top of the stairs and stared down at Rhys.

 

Rhys swallowed, again, his eyes wide. Handsome Jack was terrifying and amazing and even with that cool, calculating look on his face, Rhys felt insignificant and it made that fist in his stomach twist.

 

“So you’re the one who made the kissy face with the loader bots?” Jack droned.

 

Rhys’s mouth parted and heat crawled up from his neck to his cheeks. “What?”

 

“Dad, not kissy, he was nice to them!” Angel popped up from behind Jack, this time she was wearing pyjamas, well, pyjamas with tiny blood thirsty bunnies wielding Hyperion sniper rifles.

 

“Angel, honey, what have I told you about leaving the penthouse?” Jack glared at Angel, but his stance was softer and the tone of his voice was warm.

 

“But I like the loaders. They’re pretty funny.” Angel smiled. “And they have a totally different look at life.”

 

“Of course they have a different look at life, they’re robots, sweetie.” Jack said kindly.

 

“Robots with amazing personalities,” Angel crossed her arms, mimicking Jack’s pose. It would have worked, had she not been a foot shorter than him, and about a hundred pounds lighter.

 

“I should have never have let you have the Clap-Trap unit when you were a kid. I knew I would regret it.” Jack sighed, shaking his head.

        

“What is going on?” Rhys finally blurted out, his eyes wider. “Who is she? What is happening?”

 

“I’m Angel,” Angel pointed at herself. “And this is my Dad, Jack.” She pointed at Handsome Jack.

 

Rhys blinked, slowly.

 

“I don’t think he’s getting it cupcake.” Jack shook his head and stepped down the steps, towards Rhys. Rhys scrambled away, pressing against the doors, practically trembling as Jack stopped a foot away from him, finally noticing his blue eye and cyborg arm. “That’s some pretty fancy gear for a janitor,”

 

“I didn’t, I mean, I wasn’t, I wasn’t a janitor, I was a data miner.” Rhys mumbled out.

 

Jack scowled. “Then why the fuck are you in janitorial?”

 

Before Rhys could explain, well, say anything actually, Angel chimed in. “Dad, language!” She disappeared towards a glass wall and reappeared seconds later next to Jack holding a jar stuffed with hundred dollar bills. “You know the rules.”

 

Jack sighed and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a handful of bills and shoved one into the jar. Angel examined the jar carefully before padding back to the display case and joining them once more, an excited smile tugging on her lips.

 

“Right, well, Angel here says you saw her last night in the loader bay. That’s correct?” Jack placed his hands on his hips, his legs spread wide, his mismatched eyes curious and taking in Rhys’s appearance, even down to his hair that Rhys didn’t bother to style anymore.

 

“Um, yes?” Rhys said, unsure.

 

“You saw her… disappear?” Jack carefully tasted the words.

 

“Yes.” Rhys glanced at Angel who was practically beaming.

 

“And you didn’t completely freak out or run around telling everybody what you’d seen?” Jack sneered.

 

Rhys bit his tongue, unsure if he should mention Vaughn.

 

“Come on, cupcake, and don’t think of lying, I hate lying and I always find out the truth.” Jack viciously purred.

 

“I, I, I,” Rhys’s eyes darted from Jack’s to Angels, “I told my roommate I saw the Angel of Helios.”

 

Silence.

 

“Sugar, what is he talking about?” Rhys witnessed with firsthand account how Jack’s eyes narrowed with Angel’s sudden nervous tone.

 

“Ummm…”

 

“What are you talking about?” Jack hissed, his fingers twitching near his gun holster on his hip.

 

Rhys took in a deep breath, wished he’d done something crazy like going to Pandora or finding a vault key, instead he spoke. “The Angel of Helios is… a legend. If you’re working late on a project, she appears and encourages you to keep up the good work, or if you fall asleep at your desk she places a blanket on you, or if you need to get to a meeting on time the corridors become mysteriously empty like the doors have been locked. She always helps, but is gone in a flash of light and surrounded by wings. She’s the guardian angel of Hyperion workers.” Rhys tried to explain. He shot a look at Angel who was blushing with embarrassment, staring at her toes. “If you need help, you ask the angel for help, but I never thought… never believed….” Rhys trailed off.

 

Jack cleared his throat, making Rhys jerk to focus on him once more. 

 

“All of this guardian Angel  stuff aside, and which we WILL discuss later,” Jack snapped that part at Angel who flinched and started chewing on her bottom lip, still staring at the ground, “what do you think of my little girl?” Jack tipped his chin up.

 

“I… I think…” Rhys looked at Angel who lifted her head, a hopeful, and sad smile on her face like she’d gone through this before. “I think she’s a sweet girl.” Rhys finished, meeting Jack’s gaze.

 

Jack stared at Rhys silently before he nodded, tearing his gaze away and wrapped his arm around Angel’s waist. “Sweetheart, I need you to go back to the penthouse, okay?”

 

Angel’s eyes widened. “Dad, you can’t! You promised!”

 

“It’ll be okay, I promise.” Jack soothed. “Now, go back, I have business things to talk about with Rhys, here.”

 

Angel sighed and stepped back. Jack shut his eyes as the bright flash of light illuminated the room and Rhys was left rubbing his eyes, yet once more. He blinked away the spots then noted Jack was watching him.

 

“Nobody except for a handful of people knows she exists,” Jack said quietly. “She isn’t supposed to leave the penthouse, ever. If certain groups knew she existed, well… things would not turn out well for them.” Jack leaned closed. “That being said, and the ridiculousness of a cult, if you ever tell anybody else you saw her, I will fucking gut you, crucify you, and then space your pathetic fucking remains, do you understand?” Jack hissed.

 

“I-I-Yes, sir, jack sir.” Rhys stuttered, wishing his heart would slow down, wishing that everything would slow down, wishing that he hadn’t been paged last night.

 

“Lovely.” Jack stepped back, a smile drifting across his face. “Now, Rhysie, I think you’ll find your new position much more satisfying, especially given your technical qualifications.”

 

Rhys gulped, terror flashing across his face.

 

Jack laughed, tipping his head back. “Oh cupcake, you don’t think I’d just let you into my office with my little girl without knowing your entire history?” Jack wiped away a tear. “Oh, that is too precious. I know about Henderson. I know about Vasquez. I also know about your little friends you bunk with, which, if either of them talk about Angel, I’ll fucking send them to R&D for skag feed.”

 

“Then, why?” Rhys felt faint.

 

“Starting tomorrow, you’re my new personal assistant. So go home, brush your teeth and get the stench of tequila off of your tongue, brush your hair, and find some fucking decent clothes.” Jack spun on his heel, stalking back towards the stairs. He paused at the top, glancing over his shoulder at Rhys.

 

“Oh, and Rhysie?”

 

“Yes?” The words were practically squeaked out.

 

“If you ever touch Angel, I will waste your entire fucking bloodline. Understand?” Jack didn’t bother to wait for a response, instead, Rhys terrified nodding was all the answer he needed. Jack waved his hand and the doors opened wide, causing Rhys to fall flat on his back. He barely pulled his legs out of the doorway as the doors slammed shut once more.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone who commented! I'm sorry this has taken so long to update, but I hope this chapter is okay.

Over the course of the month, Rhys discovered four things while being Jack’s personal assistant. First, the man got bored easily and as a result bounced a hundred and one objects at once. The fact he could get anything done in his massive office and desk stacked with reports, documents, gifts, and fan letters was astonishing.

 Second, Jack could read through people like they were glass and narrowed his eyes when people lied to him. He’d thrown two employees through the airlock because they’d been selling information to Maliwan (Rhys had gone to get them lunch while this little exchange took place).

Third, no matter what was happening at exactly six-thirty every night, Jack dropped everything and headed for the elevator to the penthouse. He could be buried in the middle of project, and just drop the paper work. He could be in the middle of a meeting and check his pocket watch for the time and announce it was over. Or, he could be listening as Rhys, rather nervously, explained the week’s schedule and getting confirmation for meetings to various departments and tours of newly developed facilities, and just hold his hand up, stopping Rhys, check his watch for the time then tell him the day was over to go get something to eat.

It had been nerve racking at first to be Jack’s PA, but the man was actually patient training Rhys in the position, telling him which emails to forward to him, what to ignore, and how Jack liked his coffee.

And Jack _liked_ coffee.

After the first day of following Jack around like an awkward, unsure duckling, Jack had brought in another desk for his office for Rhys. On the second, Jack sent Rhys to get them lunch, just shrugging when asked what he wanted and said he’d get whatever was there.

Life pro-tip: Jack hated Pandora blue peppers.

That first week, Rhys jumped every time Jack yelled into his comm, cursing out engineers, security, coders, accountants, whoever was unlucky to catch the man in a bad mood. He felt bad at them, but by the end of the second week, Rhys understood _why_ Jack was constantly annoyed: people were idiots who made stupid choices because of arrogance and greed.

The third week, most of Rhys’s fan boy obsession had died down and he saw the man not as some great all powerful legend, but rather as man somehow managing to balance a corporation that should have collapsed upon itself like a dying sun. Instead it thrived and instead of being awed, he felt a great deal of respect in getting to see this side of Jack, and getting a once in a lifetime job.

For safety reasons, it hadn’t been publicly announced that Rhys was Jack’s personal assistant, rather Rhys was somewhere in between, and according to Helios gossip provided by Yvette, everyone thought he was still a janitor, just working on the executive floor mopping up blood and tossing out bodies.

So far, Jack hadn’t shot anybody in front of Rhys yet, or made him dispose of any bodies, and for that he was grateful.

Finally, the forth thing Rhys had learned while working for Jack was the man was incredibly private and never mentioned Angel. Rhys hadn’t seen Angel in that span of time either, and he’d thought long and hard about asking Jack about her, but Jack was just so busy and Rhys wasn’t sure he wanted to risk being thrown threw an airlock to find out. So it came as a surprise when at six in the morning on a Friday, Jack sent Rhys a comm asking him to come to his penthouse before they went to work.

Which is where he found himself now, smoothing his hair, and swallowing nervously as he knocked on the penthouse door.  Seconds later, the door opened and Jack stood on the other side wearing a t-shirt with the cartoon drawing of a skag sleeping on a white glowing mushroom, black sweat pants, ungelled, mused, hair that fell over his forehead, and black framed glasses. Jack squinted at Rhys before he pulled off the black glasses and hooked them on the collar of his t-shirt.

“Rhys?”

Rhys flushed, shifting on his feet. “You’re, ah, you’re com said to come at once.”

Jack frowned. “I did?”

Wordlessly, Rhys raised his hand, palm side up, and his eye glowed a soft blue as a screen popped up with Jack’s message to be there as soon as possible. Jack peered at it before he ran his hand through his hair, eyeing Rhys.

“Thought I’d sent that to someone else….”

Rhys blinked, his stomach flooding with unease and feeling like he’d stepped into something he should be a hundred feet away from. “Oh. Well, uh, no harm done, I’ll just go and—”

“Is that Rhys?” Angel called from behind the door and Jack sighed, heavily, before Angel was standing in the doorway. She was wearing a unicorn onesie with the hood, er, horn, up and rubbing the sleep from her eyes.  “Have you had breakfast yet? Can Rhys have breakfast with us?” She looked up to Jack.

“I, well,” Rhys swallowed. Technically he hadn’t eaten anything; he was going to grab a snack when he could get a chance.

Jack snorted and pushed the door open wider, waving for Rhys to enter. Wordlessly, Rhys stepped inside, momentarily stunned by the expensive modern furniture, the floor to ceiling window that showed Pandora with a painting easel and half drawn canvas positioned in front of it. The rest of the apartment, what Rhys could see, was laid to waste with various piles of dissembled loader bots, boxes of various electronics piled everywhere, towers of stacked magazines and a formerly pristine white rug that probably cost half of the accounting department was stained in areas with paint and artist ink.

In other words, Handsome Jack’s penthouse was a complete and utter artistic mess.

“Come on,” Angel grabbed Rhys by his wrist and dragged him towards the kitchen filled with appliances that looked more expensive then Vasquez’s famous car. The door slammed shut behind them and Rhys jerked his head back, catching a brief glance of Jack’s narrowed eyes and thin lips before his face was quickly masked with nonchalance.

“You like waffles, cupcake?” Jack asked while Angel had Rhys sit with her at the counter and Jack dug into the cupboards.

“Always been a favourite.” Rhys said, wishing his voice didn’t waver in its response. Jack gave a curt nod in response, and Rhys looked away, distracted by the way Jack’s t-shirt rose up as he stretched above to grab something from the top cupboard, revealing tanned skin underneath the shirts fabric. Rhys swallowed and focused instead on Angel who was fiddling with the horn on her hoodie. “That’s a nice onesie.”

Angel broke into a wide smile, beaming at the attention. “Thanks! It’s actually based off one of the shows I watch on the ECHOnet. I never thought it’d arrive in the mail.” Angel sighed.

“Oh? What’s the show called?” Rhys propped his chin on his hand, smiling as Angel fidgeted.

“The adventures of Butt Stallion and his friends, gassy and ass,” Jack teased.

“Dad!” Angel gasped. “It’s not. It’s really not.” She whispered to Rhys who nodded solemnly. “Hold on, let me get my comm.” She hopped off of the chair and raced down the hall, leaving Jack and Rhys alone.

 He glanced out of the corner of his eye and caught sight of Jack smirking at Angel’s retreating form, his gaze soft, before they flickered to Rhys and immediately sharpened into something cold and hard. Rhys tensed, his eyes widening. An uneasy silence filled the room.

Before Rhys could stumble out an apology, or plead with Jack not to kill him, Angel raced back into the room. She dumped an ECHO decorated with sticks onto the counter and swiped through a few screens as Jack placed a bowl on the counter, filling it with flour, sugar, milk, vanilla, and dozen other ingredients, acting like he hadn’t been giving Rhys the look of death.

Angle tapped one of the shows on display on the screen but before it opened it flashed with a lock symbol and she scowled, glaring at Jack.

“Dad, it’s a show for kids. It doesn’t need a passcode.”

Jack whisked together the ingredients, pretending to not notice her scowl. “Sweetheart, you know some of those shows may look like they’re for kids, but they’re adult in nature.”

Angel crossed her arms. “I’m not a little kid! I’m sixteen! Besides, it’s   _Friendship Hearts_! I’ve been watching it for a year!”

Jack put the bowl on the counter, mimicking her posture. “And if the guide says adult content, then its adult content, and something you should not be watching.”

“They get tipsy drinking sweet water apples!” Angel’s voice was rising. “It’s just a _cartoon!”_

“You lower your tone young lady or else you’re losing it for a week.” Jack warned.

Angel’s bottom lip trembled and her shoulders slumped. She grabbed her comm off of the counter and raced back to her room, slamming the door shut behind her. A heavy silence flooded the kitchen and Rhys cleared his throat.

“Is she, um, is she okay?” Rhys asked, uncertain.

 Jack let out a heavy sigh ,resting his hands on the edge of the counter. “Yeah, she’ll be fine. I’ll take her her waffles and by tonight she’ll be back to her usual self. Let me tell you Rhys, one minute you’re holding this screaming, bawling, creature in the delivery room and swearing to love it until the end of time, and the next thing you know your little girl is a rebellious youth.” Jack shook his head. “Kids grow up way too fast, Rhys. You turn around one day and poof! teenager. Ah well, at least she isn’t a boy. God only knows how that would have ended up. I probably would have thrown the runt through the airlock,” Jack shrugged his shoulders, eyeing the batter, than looking to Rhys.

“You still want waffles?”

Rhys silently nodded.

“Good. I hate eating by myself.” Jack said. He cleared his throat as if he realized he’d said too much. “Anyway, tell me, what’s on the schedule for today.”

Rhys nodded again and turned his palm up, displaying the schedule while Jack resumed mixing the batter.

“First, we have research and development. They want you to look at a new slag weapon…”

~~

It was maybe a week later when Jack was tidying up his desk at six-thirty, his fingers drumming along the wood. Rhys was still filing away paperwork when Jack cleared his throat.

“So, you got plans for tonight?” Jack started.

Rhys raised his head, blinking a few seconds before his eyes straightened and the numbers he’d been crunching stopped swirling in his head.

“Huh?”

Jack rolled his eyes. “Do you have plans for tonight, Rhysie?” Jack enunciated the words slowly.

Rhys wrinkled his nose at the pet name. “I was going to meet up with my roommate for beers when I was done here, why? Was there something you wanted?”

Jack sighed, looking away. He ran a hand through his hair before he rolled his eyes again. “Angel wanted to know if you’d like to come up for supper.”

Rhys stared at Jack.

Jack stared back, his eyes narrowing. “Look, if you don’t want to—”

“No, no!” Rhys sat back in his chair, raising his hands. “I just, I’m surprised, but yeah. I’d love to come to dinner. Do I need to bring anything, wine, or…” The words died on his tongue as Jack raised an eyebrow, his lips curling into a grin.

“I don’t allow alcohol into the penthouse, cupcake.” Jack smirked. “Come on, just drop that shit. I’m hungry.”

Rhys stared at his pile of documents, at his inbox filled with hundreds of messages, and the schedule he was preparing for the next month.

“Okay.” Rhys shut off his monitor and followed Jack to the private elevator. He didn’t say anything when they got in, just stared at the elevator door and maybe glancing at Jack every now and then. As soon as the doors closed though, Jack’s shoulders slumped a fraction and he was rubbing his masked face, pinching the bridge of his nose. It was awkward and Rhys rubbed his neck.

“Are we meeting with Tediore Thursday or Friday, Rhysie?” Jack said suddenly.

Wordlessly, Rhys blinked, his ECHO eye glowing blue. “Ummm… Friday at noon. Why?”

“I want them on and off the station within three hours; they don’t need to be here any longer then necessary.”

“Yes, Jack.” Rhys made a note amongst his many notes before his eye dimmed and he closed his hand.

They reached the penthouse level and Jack strolled out, Rhys following behind him, suddenly uncertain and a bit nervous about what would happen next. After a quick retina scan, Jack entered the apartment and the smell of roasting meat and vegetables made Rhys’s stomach growl.

“Kitten, I’m home.” Jack called. He was met with silence and Jack rolled his eyes. He leaned against the wall of the entry way, popping off his shoes. He motioned for Rhys to do the same and Rhys pressed his back against the wall, pulling off his boots. Jack took one look at Rhys’s socks and snorted. “Seriously, Pumpkin?”

Rhys fought back the blush at the star and moon socks. “They’re lucky.”

“Uh huh,” Jack snorted. He padded into the apartment, pull off his jacket and white lab coat underneath. He tossed them onto the back of the couch, leaving him in famous yellow sweater with the wrists pulled up to his elbows. Rhys silently followed behind him, not a hundred percent of _what_ he was supposed to do, but when they came to the kitchen, he hesitated, uncertain.

Angel was wearing a tank top, her hair pulled to the side and tied back into a pony tail. She was wearing leggings and flats. She was stirring something on the stove, her lips pursed.

“Sweetie,” Jack cleared his throat and Angel refused to budge, her back to him. Jack sighed and entered the kitchen, peering over her shoulder. “That smells really good?” Angel spun around, her eyes dark and accusatory and Rhys almost had a moment of de ja vue because that was the _exact_ same look Jack gave when he was about to throw someone out an airlock. Evidently Jack knew that look too but he still smiled, and nodded towards Rhys. “Look who came to dinner.”

Angel blinked and peered past Jack’s, the look disappearing and her mouth parted in surprise.

“Rhys! What are you doing here? Are you joining us for supper?” Angel raced off the words so fast it took Rhys a few seconds, and a quick glance to Jack’s silent face before things clicked into place.

Angel hadn’t invited Rhys to dinner, Jack did, but the question was why.

“Y-Yeah, I hope you don’t mind,” Rhys rubbed the back of his neck, smiling nervously.

“No! I don’t mind in the least,” Angel flashed a wide smile. “Do you like roasted veggies and chicken? I’ve got a lasagne I made in the oven too, I got the recipe off the ECHOnet.” Angel rambled.

“It sounds amazing.” Rhys answered, his smile turning genuine.

“Do you need any help, kitten?” Jack asked, eyeing the pans filled with vegetables and cooking pieces of  chicken. He inhaled deeply, his eyes shutting momentarily before he smiled.

“No, I think I got it,” Angel hummed. “It should just be a few more minutes.”

“I’ll set the table then,” Jack said. He opened a cupboard and pulled out a few plates and clear glasses. He walked to the white oak table, something Rhys was fairly certain was an extinct species, and tidied up the paperwork, pausing as he flipped through a few pages with sketches of loaders and mathematical equations before piling them to the side.

It was in that moment that Rhys realized just how _different_ Jack was. His corporate person was merciless, ruthless, and deadly. He had no qualms killing people, but this persona, this Jack was something Rhys would have never thought in a million years he’d ever see. Granted he’d been given a sneak peak when Jack had made him breakfast, but this Jack was practically _domesticated._

“Did you want anything to drink, Rhys?” Angel opened the fridge. “We have, like, a thousand different types of soda and fruit juice.”

“I’m open to anything.” Rhys said. Jack motioned for him to take a seat at the table. Quickly, Rhys sat down, loosening his tie while Jack finished laying out the plates, forks, and knives.

“Dad, the pitcher,” Angel said, pointing to the cupboard that was a foot higher then she was. Wordlessly, Jack went back into the kitchen and grabbed it, placing it on the counter.

“Anything else?”

Angel shook her head.

He gave Rhys an amused look he came back to the table and sat at the head of it, resting his crossed arms on the table. “You’re up for an experience of a lifetime, Rhys. Angel’s only uses the pitcher for special occasions.”

“No I don’t!” Angel yelled from the kitchen.

“Is it… is it okay?” Rhys suddenly whispered to Jack and Jack nodded like he understood.

“It’s sweet, but not too bad,” He murmured.

Rhys fell silent, watching Angel before he shifted in his seat and turned, catching Jack staring at him with that unreadable expression. Rhys swallowed, his palm sweaty, nervous at Jack’s look, but like a sunrise, Jack’s face went from cold and calculation to something warm and encouraging when Angel brought over a baking dish. She placed it in the middle of the, carefully holding the oven gloves.

Rhys almost drooled at the sight of it. It was lasagne covered with cheese and tomato sauce. His stomach rumbled at the sight of it. It was soon followed with two other dishes of roasted carrots, parsnips, and potatoes, and a whole chicken cut into sections. He was struck by the sheer amount of food as Angel returned seconds later with two pitches, one with water, and the other a strange yellow and red mixture.

She sat down across from Rhys and next to Jack, smiling shyly. “I hope it’s okay, I had to play around with the recipe before it called for waay to much salt.”

“Oh?” Rhys frowned, straightening in his seat.

“It looks perfect, sweetie,” Jack started portioning out the lasagne, vegetables, and chicken amongst the three plates.

“I make sure Dad doesn’t have too much salt in his diet,” Angel whispered as she started pouring the glasses with the yellow and red drink. Rhys tilted his head, startled.

“Oh?”

“I’m fine, healthy as a horse. I pay doctors to worry about that sort of thing.” Jack sighed. He piled one plate fairly high with a food.

“You’re doctors would let you eat pizza for every meal because they don’t want you to cut their funding,” Angel rolled her eyes.

“I didn’t know that.” Rhys said slowly, catching Angel’s interest, and Jack’s death glare.

“He doesn’t have a healthy lunch?” Angel’s brows came together with worry. “Dad?”

“I will have you know that since Rhys has been my PA, my lunch time diet has increased from pretzels and coffee into actual food.” Jack winked. That seemed to settle Angel who patiently waited for Jack to finish dolling out the food. Jack lifted up the heavy plate, the one almost tumbling with vegetables, chicken, and lasagne and Rhys was momentarily worried he was going to give it to him, but instead Jack settled it in front of Angel who licked her lips, then blushed when she caught Rhys’s gaze.

“I… I get really hungry.” She mumbled and Rhys couldn’t respond because Jack placed his own plate in front of him, and took his own. They were equal share of the chicken, lasagne, and vegetables.

“Alright kiddos, dig in,” Jack stabbed a potato, blew on it and popped it into his mouth.

Angel hummed, digging into her own food and Rhys cut off a piece of lasagne, bringing it to his mouth. He almost groaned at the flavours of fresh herbs and cheese. It was absolutely nothing like they served on Helios. He chewed and swallowed it, he grinned. “Angel, this is delicious.”

Angel flushed, the tips of her ears pinking up, and she nodded, staring at her plate. Jack watched him and Angel. They ate quietly for a few minutes, until Angel took a sip of her drink and looked to Jack.

“How was work?”

Jack chewed thoughtfully, nodding his head for a few moments before he answered. “Well, there were a few snafus with the new loader bot project I was telling you about yesterday…”

Rhys listened and quietly eating as Jack actually explained everything he did to Angel, as well as some of the higher corporate level things Rhys hadn’t heard anything about, like new factories on Elpis, construction on Prometheus, Helios’s stock price. As well as the hiccups on the station itself. But as Rhys listened, he realized he didn’t mention any of the deaths, or airlocks, or violence Jack saw and again Rhys was struck once more by this totally different version of Jack that what the public saw.

“How about you, kitten? Did you get that chubby bot working?” Jack asked, digging into his chicken.

“ _Almost_ got it working, I was so close.” Angel sighed. “I’ll need to pull the drives and check the code line by line because I think it there’s a way I can get it to transform into little jet fighters.”

Jack paused, his eyes momentarily glazing. “That… would be really neat.”

Angel smiled. “I thought so!”

“What do you think, Rhysie? Can you see little loader bots flying around the station?”

“I have a friend in accounting who’d love that.” Rhys mused.

Angel perked up at that before she swallowed. “Oh, Dad? Auntie Nisha says you need to send her some troops.”

Jack raised an eyebrow. “She asked you to tell me to send troops?”

“Uh huh.”

“Why?” Jack dragged out the word.

Angle frowned, popping a piece of roasted turnip into her mouth, before she raised her hand to cover her mouth as she spoke. “Because she said if I asked you, you’d send her a few loader bots, too.”

Jack sniffed, stabbing a chunk of lasagne. “Damn right I will,” He grumbled. “You get any other interesting calls, kitten?”

“Um,” Angle waved her hand, swallowing quickly. “Uncle Tim called, he said he’s going to be on Elpis for the next week and then he’d like to come and stay on the station for a month or so.”

Jack frowned. “Did he say why?”

“I think he’s burned out, Dad. I know he asked if the spare bedroom was available and I said we hadn’t touched it since he was last here.”

“Alright, after supper text TimTam and tell him he can stay, but he has to be useful and help with your chubby bot project.” Jack explained, his voice firm.

“Will do!” Angle nodded. She gave Rhys a sudden, nervous smile. “S-Sorry, I didn’t mean to just talk.”

“No, no, no! I’m fine. I’m just in love with this meal, I can’t remember the last time I ate something so good.” Rhys reassured.

“You don’t… have anybody to cook for you?” Angel titled her head, as if the concept was something foreign.

“Ah, no. I live with my roommate, we usually live off of pizza and whatever we pick up after work.” Rhys said awkwardly.

“That’s horrible.” Angel frowned.

“Wait, do you always make supper?” Rhys blinked, looking from Angel to Jack. “Is that why you’re always done by six-thirty?”

Jack nodded. “Angel usually has supper done by six-forty, sometimes seven.”

“If you’d like, I can make you supper too,” Angel blurted then looked down at her lap, her face crimson.

Rhys blinked slowly, his mouth parted.

“Rhys has a pretty busy work schedule, pumpkin.” Jack started, eyeing Rhys before he brought his the cup to his mouth, the glass hovering at his lips. Angel’s shoulders seemed to sag further. “But you know,  maybe once a week, what do you think, Rhys? I don’t know your schedule, but…”

“With amazing cooking like this? I’d be a fool to say no.” Rhys winked. He warmed at Angel’s hesitant smile.

“Any chance for desert?” Jack asked suddenly.

Angel rolled her eyes. “Dad, no. we’re cutting out sweets for a month, remember?”

“A man can ask,” Jack grumbled, ignoring Rhys smile.

~~

After supper, Jack cleared the table while Angel put away the leftovers for tomorrows supper. Jack loaded the sink with the dishes, squeezing soap into the hot water while Angel escorted Rhys to the door.

“I hope it was okay,” Angel said.

“It was wonderful. I really appreciate it, thank you.” Rhys said, pulling on his boots.

Angel opened the door, suddenly uncertain. “Do you, um, do you have any food allergies, or…”

“No, I can eat pretty much everything.” Rhys winked and Angel beamed at that. He waved to her and she waved back, closing the door behind him. He shoved his hands in his pockets, making his way to the elevator, a smile on his lips and the warmth of a delicious meal in his stomach.

“Rhys?”

Startled, Rhys turned, finding Jack walking down the corridor in his socked feet. He was drying his hands on a towel, his Hyperion sweater pushed to his elbows.

“She’s quite the cook, isn’t she?”

Rhys nodded. “She’s really amazing, and talented.”

Jack nodded, as if he expected that response, but then his eyes hardened and he took a step closer to Rhys and Rhys felt ice in his spine.

“If you ever tell anybody how I am with my little girl, or what goes on in that apartment, you won’t live pass the day, do you understand?” Jack viciously hissed.

Rhys searched Jack’s blue and green eyes before he slowly nodded. “You don’t have to worry about me, Jack. I would never put Angel in any danger.”

Jack paused, his face unreadable again before he stepped away. “Good. Good.” Suddenly he flashed a smile. “See you tomorrow, bright and early, Rhysie.” He turned, sauntering back towards the apartment as the elevator dinged open and Rhys entered, trying to desperately sort out what the hell had happened.

 

To Be Continued...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Angel is a joy to write.


End file.
